Interview: Delisle set to battle Gonzalez in last roll of the dice INTERVIEW by Anthony Cocks (November 14, 2005)

Jason 'The Nailer' Delisle

In what promises to be an entertaining slugfest Australian Jason ‘The Nailer’ Delisle, 18-3-2 (9), will travel to San Jose, California to battle former WBO light heavyweight champion Julio Gonzalez, 38-3 (23), in an official eliminator for the IBF number two spot at the HP Pavilion on Wednesday night.

The fight will be one of five major promotions being put on by Goossen-Tutor in a one month period that includes Floyd Mayweather’s debut at welterweight against former junior welterweight champion Sharmba Mitchell and Sam Soliman’s ambitious attempt to dethrone former undisputed junior middleweight kingpin Winky Wright.

The fight is Goossen-Tutor’s first involvement in promoting the ‘Miller Fight Night at the Tank’ boxing series in association with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment.

In many ways the Delisle-Gonzalez fight represents the last roll of the dice for both boxers. At 33 years old Delisle is running out of time to inject himself into the mix at world level, while 29-year-old veteran Gonzalez enters the fight coming off a twelve round decision loss to England’s IBF light heavyweight champ Clinton Woods.

“I’ve just got to go in there and give it my all mate, that’s basically what it comes down to,” Delisle told Doghouse Boxing one day before he flew out to the States. “It might be his last shot but it’s sort of my last shot too. Being an Australian fighter you don’t get many opportunities so I’m going to take it with both hands and go for it.”

Since turning professional five years ago Delisle has been a staple of Fox Sports boxing telecasts in Australia with his gritty, aggressive style of fighting. Yet despite being four years older than Gonzalez, Delisle knows that the edge in big fight experience goes to the Mexican-born American, who first came to prominence with his stunning twelve round split decision victory over formerly unbeaten WBO light heavyweight champ Dariusz Michalczewski in 2003.

“I feel sensational, I can’t wait to get on the plane and get over there,” said Delisle, who has gotten in some quality ring work from world ranked boxers Paul Briggs, Danny Green and Sakio Bika in the lead up to the fight.

“I’m expecting him to come out like he did in all his other world title fights. He’s going to be very hard to beat and he’s going to come forward throwing punches. I’m just going to have to do my best to outbox him and outpoint him. He’s going to be a very hard fighter to knock out and I’m not expecting to knock him out. I’m expecting to go twelve hard fought rounds.”

One year ago Delisle travelled to Sheffield to face current IBF champion Clinton Woods in what was a world title eliminator. After dropping the hometown hero in the first round Delisle continued to apply the pressure before Woods came on the middle rounds, dropping Delisle in the seventh and scoring a TKO in the twelfth.

The experience of fighting abroad in front of a hostile crowd will be something that Delisle can draw from when he enters the lion’s den in San Jose.

“I think I’m going to have to take a Stackhat out there with me just in case to get back to the dressing rooms,” laughed Delisle. “I might have to learn a little bit of Mexican before I get over there mate.”

Delisle sees his advantage in handspeed as the key to success against Gonzalez who, despite being three inches taller and enjoying a substantial reach advantage, tends to end up fighting on the inside.

“I’ve got to work inside him and keep working away, outpunch him and try to use my handspeed,” said Delisle, whose earned the nickname ‘The Nailer’ through his work as a carpenter.

“He wings his punches so that’s want I want to do, I want to get my hands free so I can work him before he wings them so he’s not using his full power, you know. That’s the game plan, but I don’t want to give too much away.”

It’s unfortunate that there is no television coverage of this fight, which would have made an ideal main event on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. And while Delisle admits that he’s disappointed the there won’t be a wider viewing audience for his fight, he is hopeful that Australian TV will find a way to play the fight on delay.

“The most disappointing thing about it is that it’s not being televised,” said Delisle. “So many people are asking me about it and it’s going to be a cracker of a fight, and it’s not even going to be televised. Hopefully someone can organize someway to have it televised on Fox Sports (in Australia) at a later date or something. But hopefully it’ll open a lot of eyes.

“It’s the biggest opportunity I’ve got so I’ve just got to take it with both hands and go all out mate. I’m looking forward to it.”